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Mountain-mahogany
	Alderleaf Mountain-mahogany
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae;
Division:	Magnoliophyta;
Class:	Magnoliopsida;
Order:	Rosales;
Family:	Rosaceae;
Subfamily:	Dryadoideae;
Genus:	Cercocarpus; Kunth
Species
	Several, see text

Cercocarpus, commonly known as the Mountain-mahogany, is a small genus of five or six species of deciduous shrubs or small trees in the rose family (Rosaceae), native to the western United States and northern Mexico, where they grow in semi-desert climates, often at high altitudes. They typically reach 3 to 6 meters tall, but exceptionally up to 13 meters in height.

Curlleaf Mountain Mahogany grove, Toiyabe Range, central Nevada

The classification of Cercocarpus within the Rosaceae has been unclear^[1]^[2]. The genus has been placed in the subfamily Rosoideae, but is now placed in subfamily Dryadoideae^[3].

The Alderleaf variety is prominent in the foothills of Colorado but usually remains under 1 meter in height because of incessant browsing by elk and deer. This variety of mountain-mahogany is generally located on the south or west facing slopes because it cannot thrive in the shade on the north facing slopes^{[citation needed]}.

Species include:

Cercocarpus betuloides - Birchleaf Mountain-mahogany
Cercocarpus breviflorus - Hairy Mountain-mahogany
Cercocarpus intricatus - Littleleaf Mountain-mahogany
Cercocarpus ledifolius - Curlleaf Mountain-mahogany
Cercocarpus montanus - Alderleaf Mountain-mahogany
Cercocarpus traskiae - Catalina Island Mountain-mahogany

[edit] Notes

^ Morgan, D.R., et al. (1994). Systematic and evolutionary implications of rbcL sequence variation in Rosaceae. American Journal of Botany. 81(7): 890–903.
^ Eriksson, T., et al. (2003). The phylogeny of Rosoideae (Rosaceae) based on sequences of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA and the trnL/F region of chloroplast DNA. International Journal of Plant Sciences. 164: 197–211.
^ Potter, D., et al. (2007). Phylogeny and classification of Rosaceae. Plant Systematics and Evolution. 266(1–2): 5–43.

[edit] External links

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[0] Morgan, D.R., et al. (1994). Systematic and evolutionary implications of rbcL sequence variation in Rosaceae. American Journal of Botany. 81(7): 890–903.

[1] Eriksson, T., et al. (2003). The phylogeny of Rosoideae (Rosaceae) based on sequences of the internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA and the trnL/F region of chloroplast DNA. International Journal of Plant Sciences. 164: 197–211.

[2] Potter, D., et al. (2007). Phylogeny and classification of Rosaceae. Plant Systematics and Evolution. 266(1–2): 5–43.

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